The Latest: Hamas scientist's body back in Gaza for funeral

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - The Latest on developments surrounding the killing of a Palestinian in Malaysia (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

The body of a Hamas scientist gunned down in Malaysia last week has arrived in his native Gaza for burial.

A kid holds a poster of Palestinian Fadi al-Batsh portrait at a mosque in Selayang, on the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. The Palestinian envoy in Malaysia says the body of the Hamas militant killed last week in Kuala Lumpur will be repatriated to the Gaza Strip for burial. Fadi al-Batsh, an electrical engineering lecturer at a Malaysian university, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle as he was on his way to a mosque early Saturday. (AP Photo/Sadiq Asyraf)

Relatives and Palestinian faction leaders gathered in a show of respect to greet the body of Fadi al-Batsh as it entered Gaza through the Egyptian border. Hamas has scheduled a funeral for Friday.

Al-Batsh, who was working as a university researcher in Malaysia, was killed by a pair of assailants on motorcycles early Saturday as he was on his way to pray at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Hamas has identified him as commander in its military wing and accused Israel of killing him.

But on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel did not do it.

Israeli media have reported that al-Batsh was involved in Hamas' military drone program.

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5 p.m.

Israel's defense minister is denying that his country killed a Hamas-affiliated scientist who was gunned down last week in Malaysia.

Avigdor Lieberman told the Arabic news site Elaph that "we did not assassinate him."

When asked in the interview on Thursday who killed Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh, the minister said: "Ask James Bond ... maybe James Bond killed him like in the movies."

Al-Batsh, an electrical engineering lecturer at a Malaysian university, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle as he was on his way to a mosque on Saturday.

In Gaza, Hamas leaders and relatives are waiting at the Egyptian border for his body.

Hamas, the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza, accuses Israel of assassinating al-Batsh. He is to be buried Friday at a ceremony led by Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' top leader.

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2:20 p.m.

Hundreds of Palestinians have participated in the funeral of a Gaza journalist who died after being shot by Israeli troops while covering a border protest.

Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, died Wednesday at an Israeli hospital, nearly two weeks after he was shot on April 13.

Abu Hussein was covering the weekly massive protests organized by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.

Hamas leaders and family members were waiting Thursday at the Egyptian border for the body of a Hamas-affiliated scientist gunned down last week in Malaysia. The body of Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer in a Kuala Lumpur university, was expected to arrive later Thursday.

Hamas, which accuses Israel of assassinating al-Batsh, is to bury him on Friday at a ceremony led by Ismail Haniyeh, the group's top leader.